Patent Application
20080012935
The present invention relates generally to the recording and transmitting of images and videos. More specifically the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for filtering certain content from devices that record and transmit images and videos.
Recently there have been many discussions amongst various law making entities and the news media regarding a growing problem with the distribution of various types of media content to minors and those not interested or opposed to the material. This objectionable, sometimes pornographic media is now capable of being transmitted through a variety of common devices that now have the capabilities to both capture and wirelessly transmit various types of media. Items, such as mobile phones that now include cameras for recording both images and video, have become commonplace in the market. Additionally, many digital cameras and video recorders (camcorders) now include wireless transmission capabilities that aid the user in putting the media onto, for example, a home computer or the Internet. Instances of pornographic images being captured by these devices and transmitted or disseminated to undesiring or unknowing third parties are occurring with more frequency.
With traditional cameras and video recorders, a person typically was able to know that they were being photographed or filmed. Additionally, due to the nature of film and videotape, the contents of the film or tape could not be easily widely disseminated. The recent transition from film to digital storage devices has made it easier to capture an image or video and upload it to the Internet, allowing a potentially unlimited number of viewers to see the subject of the photograph or video.
The modern trend of using portable phones equipped with still image cameras and video cameras increases the risk that a person may be subject to being filmed without their knowledge. Since portable phones have the ability of a to immediately transfer data after it has been captured on the device, an image or video of that subject could be transmitted to another person for viewing immediately after they are photographed or filmed. Further, with many modern phones having Internet capabilities, photos or video of a person could be uploaded to the Internet, making the data available for any number of viewers.
In addition to the above problem, people having camera phones and other portable electronic devices capable of receiving images and videos may be unknowingly sent images or videos, such as obscene or pornographic images, that they do not desire to view. Whether the image or video is sent as spam, by accident or through some other manner, people using camera phones may be unwittingly subjected to material that they deem offensive or undesirable.
Several countries, including the United States, are presently considering or enacting laws making it illegal to photograph a person without their permission or in certain compromising situations. Other countries, such as South Korea, require that all camera phones make a clearly audible noise when a photograph is taken. Other private locations where privacy or secrecy is desired have banned the use and even presence of camera phones inside of their facilities. Such laws and restrictions, however, typically only act to forbid the act of covertly taking pictures or video of unknowing people without addressing the transmission of the media.
What is therefore needed is a way of detecting and limiting the distribution of inappropriate content being sent to and from camera phones and other portable electronic devices with electronic transmission capabilities. This technology should protect not only those who knowingly pose and send these images to their friends, but also those who have had unauthorized pictures or video taken of them.
Various exemplary embodiments provide methods and apparatus for filtering and/or preventing the transmission of certain data from wireless transmission devices. At least one embodiment of the invention includes detecting the presence of unwanted or pornographic visual data on a wireless transmission device and prevents the transmission of this media. The data may be filtered through software utilizing recognition technology that allows the device to determine the contents of the media. In one exemplary embodiment, the wireless device may then prevent the device from transmitting the media. In another exemplary embodiment, the wireless device may delete the media from the device. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the wireless device may temporarily or permanently disable the capability of the wireless device to wirelessly transmit media of any type. In another exemplary embodiment, the wireless device may report the user of the device to an appropriate entity.
Embodiments of the present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description of the various exemplary embodiments is illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
To remedy the above problem, a software filter 110 may be used to detect inappropriate content, for example a certain percentage of flesh-tone color in the picture, nudity or skin, genitalia or breasts. In one embodiment of the invention, the software filter 110 may be incorporated into wireless cameras and video cameras with wireless transmission capabilities as well as camera phones having camera and video capabilities.
Software algorithms for the detection and recognition of human faces in a digital image currently exist. In one such use, an algorithm may take an image of, for example, a person's face, as captured by a digital camera. The algorithm then divides the image data into sections, each section depicting a unique characteristic, such as distance between the person's eyes or the relative height of their cheekbones. These sections are then individually compared to different templates for each section. Through the comparison of several unique characteristics and data points, the algorithms can determine if the image of a person in a digital photograph matches that of a person in a database. Further, the use of certain data points on a human face allow for the technology to correctly identify a person despite that person's use of some disguises, such as facial hair, concealing makeup or facial putty.
In one embodiment of the invention, such an algorithm may be adapted to detect the presence of certain human characteristics, portions of the anatomy, or a large percentage of skin or flesh-tone color which may be considered inappropriate, offensive or pornographic. For the purposes of this application, “pornographic materials” shall include any materials deemed pornographic under the application standard of law in the jurisdiction where the transmission is to be sent or received.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the data comparisons depicted in
Upon the detection of the inappropriate content in either step 116 in
In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the software could disable the send button or wireless capability of the device to send the image or video upon the detection of inappropriate content. Alternatively, the software could “scramble” or digitally mask the content. The “scrambling” or digital masking could affect the entire contents, for example by blurring an entire image, or merely affect the offending portions of the contents, such as blurring a portion of the human anatomy through the use of strategic mosaic blurring. Mosaic blurring is a data filtering technique wherein the pixels representing portions of an image or video that need to be concealed are rearranged and expanded to cover a certain area, thus rendering that area covered by mosaic blocks and therefore unviewable. Digital masking can occur when a non-offensive image or object is placed over the offending portion or portions of an image or video.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the software could automatically delete the inappropriate image or video upon detection. This feature would have the effects of preventing an image or video from being transmitted as well as preventing the person who captured the image or video from showing displaying or broadcasting it to other parties. This feature could be especially useful to prevent a user from taking photographs or video of subjects without their knowledge or while they are in a compromising or embarrassing situation.
In another embodiment of the invention, a notification could be sent to the telephone, address or email address of the person to whom the device is registered. Such a notification could be particularly useful, for example, if the device is registered to an adult who is providing the phone for their child or a minor. A message could also be sent to local authorities, depending on the nature of the contents.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the software could also take the step of disabling the transmission capabilities of the wireless device in steps 118 and 126 of
In another embodiment of the present invention, inappropriate content can be filtered from data that is transmitted from wireless transmission devices. Referring back to
When the secondary scan blocks the transmission of the data, any of a variety of actions, such as those discussed previously, may again be taken. In one embodiment of the invention, the content, in addition to not being delivered to the intended destination, may be sent to a different location for human review. Following this review, the content may be directed back to the intended destination if it is not deemed inappropriate. Alternatively, if the content is deemed inappropriate, it may be deleted.
The description of the invention provided herein is merely exemplary in nature, and thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the embodiments of the present invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
